congestion pricing
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Never mind the naysayers: NYC-style congestion pricing would be great for Chicago
By practically all accounts, New York City's congestion pricing initiative, which launched on January 5, is doing precisely what it's supposed to: easing traffic congestion. You can get up to speed on exactly how the program is designed, from this explainer by Streetblog NYC's Dave Colon.
February 12, 2025
At TransAlt’s Vision Zero Cities conference in NYC, a window on what robust congestion pricing could do for Chicago
Making a congestion charging zone happen in Chicago will take effort, but the numbers make it clear the work would be worth it.
October 20, 2023
Reality check: You can’t solve congestion by widening roads – invest in transit instead
Yes, driving to work in Chicagoland is terrible, but more lanes aren't the answer. We need faster, more frequent, and more reliable CTA and Metra service.
December 9, 2021
Ald. Martin floated the idea of downtown congestion pricing during budget talks
Who knows, with enough political support for this idea to reduce congestion and pollution and plug the budget hole, maybe we can get congestion pricing approved in the 2022 budget.
November 24, 2020
Active Trans announces three “moonshot” goals for the next decade
The group wants a unified regional transit system; more bike and bus lanes, and car-free streets; and downtown congestion pricing to fund sustainable transportation.
March 9, 2020
Worry Less About $40 Tolls and More About Plans to Widen I-55
The Tribune is concerned about congestion-priced lanes on the Stevenson resulting in Virginia-style $40 tolls, but the real problem is that expanding the highway would encourage more driving.
December 18, 2017
“Surge Pricing” for Parking in Wrigleyville and Other Neighborhoods? Bring It On
I applaud the city’s of Chicago’s decision to implement “surge pricing,” properly known as congestion pricing, near Wrigley Field on game days and during concerts, and encourage them to look into using this strategy for other high-demand parking scenarios.
March 24, 2017
Experts and Advocates Weigh in on Rauner’s Proposal to Widen the Stevenson
On Thursday, Governor Bruce Rauner announced a new proposal to address congestion on the Stevenson Expressway, aka I-55, by adding lanes. The construction would be financed via a public-private partnership, and the new lanes would be tolled. Revenue would go to the concessionaire, allowing them to recoup their investment.
February 5, 2016
Making Transit Better Isn’t Enough. Driving Needs to Be Worse.
So transit ridership is up. Everybody knows that. It’s at its highest point since 1956. Right?
March 21, 2014
Chicago Traffic Is Congested. So What Should We Do About It?
Chicagoland has a lot of traffic congestion, according to this year's Urban Mobility Report from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute [PDF], yet we continue to build more roads while transit service and walking and biking facilities don't seem to increase as fast. Meanwhile, gas taxes and other fees on drivers fail to pay for all the roadbuilding, meaning we're subsidizing a very ineffective, inefficient system. A local campaign to implement congestion pricing holds the promise of easing congestion, reducing road subsides, and increasing investment in transit, biking, and walking -- but only if Chicago gets it right.
February 7, 2013